Fried Mozzarella Bites Food

FRIED MOZZARELLA BITES

Steps:

• Heat 2 inches olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut each pound of mozzarella and smoked mozzarella into 16 cubes. Set up a breading station: flour, 2 eggs beaten with 1/3 cup milk, Italian bread crumbs mixed with a couple of handfuls of grated cheese. Reserve the chopped parsley. Roll fresh plain mozzarella in flour, dip in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Bread all the plain mozzarella, then add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs. Coat the cubed smoked mozzarella in flour, egg, then Italian bread crumbs mixed with parsley. The chopped parsley will allow you to distinguish between the fresh and fresh smoked cheese once fried. Place herbs into hot oil and fry 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to stand over pan, the oil will spatter a little because of the water content in herbs. Remove herbs with a slotted kitchen tool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season immediately with fine salt. Fry the mozzarella bites in batches in a single layer. Cook until evenly deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool mozzarella bites on a paper towel-lined surface. Let stand and cool a few minutes so that the cheese will not be too runny when bitten into.
• For dipping sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Saute garlic and hot pepper 2 or 3 minutes, and add tomatoes. Season with salt.
• To assemble your serving plate, pile mozzarella bites, alternating them with fried herbs. Set the dipping sauce in a bowl along side the balls and pile bamboo skewers or party picks on the edge of the plate to spear and dip the bites.
• Add some mixed olives, celery sticks, long bread sticks to round out this finger food selection.

BUFFALO FRIED MOZZARELLA BITES

Steps:

• For the mozzarella bites: Cut the mozzarella sticks into fourths, creating bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• Add the flour to a shallow dish. Combine the eggs and milk in a second shallow dish. Combine the panko, Parmesan and parsley in a third shallow dish.
• Bread the mozzarella by first rolling each piece in the flour, then dunking it in the egg/milk mixture, then placing it in the panko mixture. Use your hands to ensure the entire piece is coated in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining mozzarella pieces. Transfer to the freezer to firm up, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add two inches of oil to a skillet. Heat to 375 degrees F.
• For the buffalo sauce: Combine the hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the butter has melted and the sauce is hot, then remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Fry the mozzarella bites in batches until golden, between 45 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to overcook. Carefully remove to drain on a paper towel and immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve hot alongside a bowl of warm buffalo sauce, a bowl of ranch dressing and the carrot and celery sticks.

FRIED MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Remove the egg roll wrappers from the package and cover them with a damp paper towel. This will keep the wrappers from drying out. Have a small glass of water ready for sealing the wrappers.
• Place one egg roll wrapper on a cutting board. With damp fingers, moisten the outer edges of the wrapper. Place a piece of string cheese diagonally on one corner of the wrapper. Roll the cheese inside the wrapper to the halfway point and then fold the edges over the ends of cheese. Continue rolling, making sure the last corner seals. Place on a sheet pan, cover with a damp paper towel and repeat with the remaining cheese sticks.
• Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• While the oil is heating, warm the marinara in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. Place in a small serving bowl.
• Fry the egg rolls until golden and crisp, about 1 1/2 minutes, turning regularly. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
• Serve alongside the marinara.

FRIED MOZZARELLA BALLS WITH MARINARA CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the mozzarella balls: Preheat a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.
• Drain the mozzarella and pat dry.
• Add the flour to a casserole dish, the beaten eggs to a second, and whisk together the panko, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the third casserole dish.
• Dredge the mozzarella through the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes then fry in batches in the hot oil until golden and crispy, about 1 minute per batch. Drain on paper towel-lined sheet trays. Season with salt. Serve with the marinara cream sauce.
• For the sauce: Mix the red sauce, heavy cream and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Use for dipping. Yield: 1 cup.

MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Cut the mozzarella into 'chips'. Tip the flour into a bowl and season well. Whisk the eggs in a second bowl and tip the breadcrumbs, paprika and oregano into a third. Coat the mozzarella sticks in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 2 hrs.
• Heat enough oil to come 2-3cm up the side of a saucepan. When hot, drop in a test chip - it should sizzle straight away and brown within a minute or two. The secret is to cook them long enough to crisp up the outside without letting the mozzarella ooze out - it may take you a few practice chips to get it right. Cook the chips in batches and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with your favourite dip.

AIR-FRIED MOZZARELLA CHEESE BITES WITH SPICY MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk egg and water together in a shallow dish. Stir flour, salt, and Italian seasoning together in another shallow dish. Place bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.
• Dip cheese sticks into egg mixture, then coat with flour mixture. Dip again into egg mixture, then into bread crumbs until coated. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat an air fryer to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
• Place frozen cheese bites in a single layer in the air fryer, working in batches if necessary, being careful not to crowd.
• Cook in the preheated air fryer until golden brown and cheese just begins to melt, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining bites.
• Meanwhile, stir together marinara sauce and crushed red pepper.
• Serve mozzarella bites with marinara sauce.